StG, there is no need to get upset at myself and Severin for merely giving our online opinion about your opening paragraphs on this thread.
It is our opinion and we are entitled to understand what you said in our own way.

StG <"I don't consider myself a stereotypical Christian due to being fairly open minded, compared. But the fundamentals of my rules regarding life is treat others as you wish to be treated, and thou shalt not kill..How does 'thou shalt not kill' fit into roles such as military and the police"?

Having read through your own words again StG, what person WOULDN'T have thought that this thread was about religion and killing?
I think you owe Severin and myself an apology.

Like I said, if you want to debate religion and killing start your own thread.

ALL THIS:

>>>"the Bible is full of examples of apparently God-condoned violence and killing, so it shouldn't be a problem.

If God was willing to allow the killing of all first-borne of Egyptians in order that they would let the Israelites go, then I am sure God would have no problem with killing others in self defense..."<<<

TO ME...has ZERO do with MY OWN issues regarding carrying a weapon in a job. TO ME, that IS inflammatory. TO ME, that is an off topic theological debate.

It SEEMS to me the thing you two just don't understand about religion and faith is that it's an INDIVIDUAL experience and doesn't fit some sort of generalised all encompassing idea you guys have about it.

I will apologise for calling you a troll, and I apologise for being rude. It seems I misinterpreted your intent - thanks GOD I don't have a gun. Jokes. I appreciate you may not quite get where I'm coming from regarding faith - although I've explained MANY times - and that the bible FOR ME is a guide and a personal thing. By personal, I mean, I have my own understanding of Christianity and what faith means to me.

I get shirty when it APPEARS I'm being pigeon holed. You'll notice I didn't do that to you about your Catholic background. You are an individual with your own experiences that make up your own version of spirituality. Whether that be a Theist spirituality or something more of your own design and/or lands within your own personal comfort.

I hope that some stage I'm granted that freedom by you to not be stereotyped. Maybe?.

Sorry suzeonline for going off topic but I thought killing included abortion.
However your comment about miscarriages is nonsensical, otherwise your argument would have to extend to blaming God for all deaths by natural causes.
In this case you are effectively blaming God for not granting us all eternal life!
But I do grant you that this discussion is about killing in self-defense, which abortion assuredly is not.
On that basis I accept your rebuke: old testament mythology it is then.
Given that Islamic mythology also includes Allah's extermination of the "first-borne" of the Egyptians, will you permit Koranic criticism as well?
Islam and killing should blow this discussion wide open.

StG, while it's clear that you experienced a faith-based ethical dilemma when contemplating placing yourself in a position where you might have to shoot someone, it's also very clear that many, many religious people have no such misgivings. So you're correct - yours is an individual problem.

However, I think you're being a bit hard on Severin and suzeonline. None of us knows the idiosyncracies of your religious convictions, but many of us do have a working knowledge of your religion and also can cite many examples where being a 'Christian', 'Muslim', 'Buddhist' or whatever hasn't prevented people from using guns to kill others - sometimes actually in the name of their faith.

Wow, classy, well done. After all I've done to try and keep this thread away from something resembling a cage figh,t here you rock up and blow this out your nose. Cheers. Appreciate it.

Sorry CJ, previous was aimed at Proxy.

You're more than likely right, but I'm not going to discuss the history of religion and violence. I hope that's okay with everyone.

Please though, go for it yourselves. I'll read with interest.